OP here- thanks for the constructive feedback!

My elementary school's reading specialist seems always available to explain DRA2 stuff to me and how DC's score was calculated. The classroom teachers might not elaborate about the DRA2 because they might not feel they have the expertise to do so. Unfortunately, I think parents generally don't know this and may not even fully understand that the school has a reading specialist.

Anonymous wrote:So I found out DC has a 192 now meanwhile the target for fall is 61 (though she originally wrote 193 was scratched off) and reading through old forums I see that 193 is a perfect score. Why didn't the teacher say this? I did get feedback she was doing very well and so on- but I wouldn't know that was a near perfect score or that she was that ahead. Also- I read in the old forums that her testing at spring should be the DRA? is that something I should request? taking the DRA2 again may not be as productive.

You're giving this far more thought and energy than is appropriate. Why do you care so much?

OP here- thanks.. I realized I wrote the perfect score part incorrectly- it's the maximum tested as other PPs said. I did hear that 4 kids were reading books (DC one of them). DC's pretty good at retelling what happened (and remembering - wish I had that memory) but we're doing a more formal at home reading (per the K teacher) starting now so it will be interesting to see since recall questions isn't something we have been doing. thanks for the clarifications.

OP here- thanks.. I realized I wrote the perfect score part incorrectly- it's the maximum tested as other PPs said. I did hear that 4 kids were reading books (DC one of them). DC's pretty good at retelling what happened (and remembering - which I had that memory) but we're doing a more formal at home reading (per the K teacher) starting now so it will be interesting to see since recall questions isn't something we have been doing. thanks for the clarifications.

It's not that it's a "perfect" score in the sense that your child is over the top. Many kids score close to 193 or at 193 now or in the spring. The test just tops out at that score. Understand that the test is only testing a limited set of skills (knowing letters, sounds, sight words, rhyming).

My son's kindergarten teacher also tested him in the reg. DRA b/c he was at 185 for the DRA word analysis this fall. So, most likely your child's teacher will test up to DRA 16 (which is the benchmark for the end of first grade) at the mid year or in the spring. They will not go beyond DRA 16 in kindergarten testing. However, also note that even if your child can read books that are equivalent to DRA 10 or 16 or whatever, their actual DRA score might be more like a DRA 4 because of a more limited ability to RECALL the story without looking back to the book. My child has high word decoding skills, but is assessed at a much lower DRA score b/c of the lower ability to retell (which is VERY normal at this age).

My son got a 193 in the fall and was given the DRA2 again in the spring and again received a 193. I do think that the teacher told us that additional things were covered on the spring test. I don't know what taking a different test would do. The teacher knows your child is an advanced pre-reader (and if she's not reading already, will definitely be doing so by the spring). The teacher can probably estimate a DRA level for your daughter (my son's teacher was able to do so) and you can supplement her reading outside of the classroom more easily with this info.

So I found out DC has a 192 now meanwhile the target for fall is 61 (though she originally wrote 193 was scratched off) and reading through old forums I see that 193 is a perfect score. Why didn't the teacher say this? I did get feedback she was doing very well and so on- but I wouldn't know that was a near perfect score or that she was that ahead. Also- I read in the old forums that her testing at spring should be the DRA? is that something I should request? taking the DRA2 again may not be as productive.